Fremantle wanted to give 'Neighbours' a 'good home'

Fremantle's finance director said its decision to move Neighbours from BBC One to Five it wasn't totally about money.

Five bought the rights for Neighbours from Fremantle in a £300 million deal in May this year.

Fremantle's finance director Ian Ousey told Broadcast that one of the reasons Fremantle agreed to Five's deal, was because the broadcaster planned to create a daily "Australian hour" with Neighbours and Home and Away.

Ousey said the company had "wanted to give it to a good home," and that Neighbours had become "an invisible part of the BBC's schedule."

Insiders have suggested that as well as featuring the show on Five Life, Five may look to air its new acquisition at 6.30pm on the main channel, which will put the show in direct competition with Channel 4's Hollyoaks.

Channel 4 confirmed today that it had no plans to make any changes to its schedule: "Hollyoaks performs exceptionally well in its slot with a large and loyal audience of young viewers. There are no plans to move it," a Channel spokesman said.

Another issue for Five to consider would be if Home and Away and Neighbours air at 6pm and 6.30pm on Five, then the 'Next Look' editions on Five Life at 6.30pm and 7pm will be in direct competition with Neighbours on Five's main channel and Emmerdale on ITV1.